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^I loved those Damon, thanks! I really need to get the complete Leslie Howard Liszt...

I've been listening to his De profundis for piano and orchestra lately. It his Liszt's longest work for piano and orchestra at around 34 minutes. It was written in 1834, and left unfinished. The piano part was pretty much finished, but the orchestration was still in draft form. It was discovered in 1992 and some minor finishing touches were made to make complete performance possible. Being written in 1834, when Liszt was firmly in his virtuoso years and had not yet developed into anything close to the composer we know today, it is a flawed work. However I have really taken a liking to it. Great as they are, I don't think either of Liszt's concerti are among his best stuff, although I do love the second. This work here is probably my second favourite piano and orchestra by him behind the gorgeous second piano concerto.

It is really a stunningly original for a work written at that time and at that age. Despite its flaws it is a remarkable and fascinating work with some great moments. A lot of the material would later be distilled and made into the remarkable solo piano work Pensée des morts.

Damon
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Registered: 09/22/06
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Originally Posted By: pianojosh23

^I loved those Damon, thanks! I really need to get the complete Leslie Howard Liszt...

I highly recommend the set. Many may say that Howard doesn't give the most exciting performances but I think most are pretty solid. Being a (nearly) complete set, we get to compare early efforts with revisions made over the years. Liszt didn't hide his warts like others.

^I loved those Damon, thanks! I really need to get the complete Leslie Howard Liszt...

I highly recommend the set. Many may say that Howard doesn't give the most exciting performances but I think most are pretty solid. Being a (nearly) complete set, we get to compare early efforts with revisions made over the years. Liszt didn't hide his warts like others.

Yes. I have heard many of his recordings and they are usually pretty good although some pieces I think he plays very poorly. I think the general consensus is that it is great as a reference and for being able to hear everything he wrote rather than absolute first class playing. But what a monumental achievement...

Indeed. And for those less comfortable with organ music, here is Busoni's take on Liszt's Ad nos. At first I thought it too slow, but I have come to agree. This, along with the Norma Fantasy, might possibly be the only work to challenge the B minor sonata. (The Met broadcast today was Norma -vintage performance with Sutherland- and it gave me a renewed appreciation of Liszt's 'reminiscence' of the opera.)

Indeed. And for those less comfortable with organ music, here is Busoni's take on Liszt's Ad nos. At first I thought it too slow, but I have come to agree. This, along with the Norma Fantasy, might possibly be the only work to challenge the B minor sonata. (The Met broadcast today was Norma -vintage performance with Sutherland- and it gave me a renewed appreciation of Liszt's 'reminiscence' of the opera.)

I have been listening to that piece, and that performance, repeatedly lately. I put it as Liszt's second greatest solo piano work behind the Sonata (if you count it as his work, being a transcription by Busoni). GREAT work...One of the most powerful pieces in the solo piano repertoire. Dorfman has a CD out with this work and a bunch of others on his site that I am interested in getting after hearing his amazing performance of the Ad Nos. I find it remarkable that piano skills is not and has not in fact been his primary ambition, but rather his core ambition seems to be visual art. Some people just got it!

Wow. I just heard 'Tristia' by Liszt for the first time. It was written in 1880 and is based on Valee d'Obermann. Unlike the second version for trio (Tristia is the third) the piece is very different from the original. It is very much like his other late pieces in that it is very dark...and hauntingly beautiful.

Yesterday I was randomly looking at solo piano recitals on youtube and I found this one by Kissin. I actually went to his playing of the same program in September, and watching it again brought back good memories. It is an all Liszt recital (in Verbia, July 23 2011) including, in order:

I started reading through the Dante Sonata today. It's actually really good!

I didn't like it when I first made its acquaintance some years ago, but it is a work which has definitely grown on me!

My feelings towards Mr. L. have dimmed a bit in recent months, but I've always loved this work, and I still do. It's the only "warhorse-ish" piece of his that I entertain fantasies of actually playing. Surprised that it has anything less than the most honored reputation among those who know.

Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale Ad nos, ad salutarem undam (Both the organ version or Busoni's transcription for solo piano).

If you've never heard it live on the organ, you are in for a thrill. I remember hearing it live at St. Paul's Cathedral in London when I was a teen, and it was nothing short of a life-changing, transcendental experience!

Unfortunate to report, however, that last Sunday I went to a doctorate organ recital on the Flentrop organ at my local Episcopal cathedral. Excellent playing -as expected- but the programme ended with Liszt's other major organ work (besides the B.A.C.H.) the Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen.

Not sure what to make of that piece. I've never found it very interesting on the piano, though on the organ it certainly builds to a thrilling conclusion. Alas, until then, we're treated to a lot of meandering, tedious chromaticism. Yet august musicians such as Alfred Brendel have written very highly of it.

I started reading through the Dante Sonata today. It's actually really good!

I didn't like it when I first made its acquaintance some years ago, but it is a work which has definitely grown on me!

Terrific piece. NOT easy to pull off, however. I've been up and down on it for awhile because it's so easy to butcher. The first half of the piece, to me, is one of the best 10 or so minutes of any piano work. The rest of the piece i've been up and down on, but played well it can be worthy of the first half, played poorly it can ruin it.

Originally Posted By: sophial

Pensees des morts is amazingSo are the variations on Weinen Klagen Sorgen Zagen

I LOVE Pensees des morts too. Probably my favourite piece in that remarkable cycle. It only just missed out on my favourites from a few posts up However, like Jason the Weinen Klagen Sorgen Zagen variations has never reached me. One of his few important works I don't like, and the praise heaped on it frankly baffles me. But when such esteemed musicians are so high on it, i'm probably the one in the wrong! I haven't heard it for organ, though. Another of Liszt's piano pieces in the rarified company of ones I don't like is the Fantasy and Fugue on BACH. However, I MUCH prefer and really like the organ version, so maybe i'll like the variations better on organ too, even if Jason didn't.

Maybe i'm just not getting something with the piece though. Maybe you can help me there Sophial? What do you like about this piece?

Originally Posted By: argerichfan

Originally Posted By: pianojosh23

Fantasy and Fugue on the chorale Ad nos, ad salutarem undam (Both the organ version or Busoni's transcription for solo piano).

If you've never heard it live on the organ, you are in for a thrill. I remember hearing it live at St. Paul's Cathedral in London when I was a teen, and it was nothing short of a life-changing, transcendental experience!

I'm sure it was! I haven't heard it live on organ. I've actually never been to a solo organ recital! Something I have to look forward to in my future.

I can defiantly see why some may be indifferent to Liszt, his music at times is very showy, but in my opinion, beneath all the virtuosity and showmanship, Liszt was extremely sensitive and VERY romantic. Here's some of my favorite pieces which show "the other side" of Liszt:-

http://youtu.be/iCFn5agTjTEThe first of the three Liebstraum, my favorite one. The first two are often overlooked because of the popularity of the third one, this one is just stunning. The third one, despite its overexposure is absoloutley gorgeous though, the final section gives me chills everytime.

You've got to love Liszt, very difficult to play but an absoloute genius.